Monday, May 2, 2016

Topps Now - Is this For Real ??

So I have been checking out the new Topps New concept. For the ones that are unfamiliar with this new Topps program, Topps basically selects a few great moments from yesterday's games and makes a Topps Now card out of these which you can buy from the Topps site for a limited amount of time (I think it is 48 hours following the game). The concept I actually like as you can capture some of the cool moments in baseball quickly on a card.

In the last few weeks I was waiting for a cool Rizzo or Kershaw card and try out the program. Yesterday it happened, Kershaw made it onto a card after an awesome games including 14 Ks and the winning RBI.




Apologies for the size of the photo but I am not able yet to adjust these photos with the Blogger app I am using on the road here during my holiday !

Anyways, I decided to try it out, putting in the order at an already steep $9.99. However, when trying to check out I needed to specify the shipping I liked. Of course, the shipping only started at $6.80, yes you read it correctly, $6.80. So not only does Topps charge $9.99 for a single piece of non-auto, non-relic, cardboard, it also charges shipping, starting at $6.80 (running up to over $100 actually if you really want the card safe and quickly!).

So this piece of cardboard already adds up to $16.79. On top of that, and specific to me, I use a COMC mailbox (or else Topps would not even accept my order), which charges me another $1 for handling and later on some costs for shipping it in a batch to the Netherlands.

So all in all this card comes close to $20 and in the end will likely be having a print run of 300-500+.

Of course I don't have to buy the card, and in the end I didn't given the costs, but it is such a shame in my view as I really like the concept and they could have really added some value to the loyal baseball card collectors. In it current form, to me it feels too much as a rip-off. Clearly a missed opportunity for Topps in my view.

Let me stop my rant here :-) Any of you do feel these are proper prices and I should simply not complain about them ?

Thanks for visiting my blog today and apologies for the negativity ! Be on the look out for a post on the Rays - Blue Jays game review from last Sunday !




11 comments:

  1. Yikes... Ive always wondered about these but my interest wasnt high enough to look further into. Your experience makes me for sure not to.

    ReplyDelete
  2. US shipping is free as long as you choose SurePost (or whatever the cheapest option is called). I don't know what it shows on the site, but I believe it's been confirmed that shipping in the US is free as long as you choose the SurePost option.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Interesting, that option didnt pop-up when I was trying to order the Kershaw card. Maybe I didnt look properly and the card might be "only" $9.99 :-) will check it out again !

      Delete
    2. Checked again but didnt give me the "free shipping" option, only starting at 6.80 when trying to pay through paypal (as a guest, maybe that's the issue?)

      Delete
    3. I just went through the checkout process again. When I selected the $6.81 option and clicked to the next step, the shipping changed to $0.00 on the following screen. But I didn't do the PayPal option. I did the other checkout.

      Delete
    4. Thanks, maybe i should have clicked further although bit of a strange process. Went for the option below, even a little cheaper !

      Delete
  3. FYI... maybe another (better?) option?
    eBay 331846467472

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love the concept behind Topps Now, however the price point is a little prohibitive for me. Unless I really really really develop a hankering for a particular card or find a good deal on the second hand market, I don't think I'll be biting on many of these.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tony (and Jeroen)

      Check with me for any Cubs. I will probably be buying 10 for $50, keep one or two, trade a few and try to flip the rest. I definitely bought 10 of the Arrieta no hitter cards and am just waiting on delivery.

      Delete
    2. Awesome, well any Rizzo card I am interested in so do reach out to flip one with me and I will reach out as well in case I see a Rizzo one !thanks !

      Delete